Method for constructing a building and resulting building

ABSTRACT

The subject invention pertains to a method for constructing, transporting and erecting buildings. The subject invention also relates to buildings which can be transported and erected at a desired site. Advantageously, a specific embodiment of the subject invention can be relocatable. The subject invention is advantageous in situations where an individual or group, such as a school system or construction company, needs temporary, portable buildings which can easily be constructed and broken down for transportation to a new site. In a specific embodiment, the subject method utilizes durable construction materials to comply with building codes and withstand the rigors of years of service in a variety of environmental conditions in addition to providing rapid construction and relocation benefits.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/096,011, filed Mar. 11, 2002, which claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 60/274,890, filed Mar. 9, 2001, both ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety,including any figures, tables, or drawings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Relocatable buildings have many wide ranging applications. Buildings ofthis type can be used to provide temporary and/or low cost shelter. Inaddition, the use of relocatable buildings can reduce the period of timenecessary to erect a desired building. Relocatable buildings can be usedby, for example, school systems as classroom buildings or onconstruction sites as temporary offices.

In addition to providing useful temporary shelter, relocatable buildingscan be employed to solve long term needs of customers. School systems,for example, can purchase several relocatable buildings to aid withpopulation booms within the system. In a school system, a certaindistrict may have an overpopulation of elementary school students. Theschool system can place one or more relocatable buildings at theelementary schools with too many students. When the elementary schoolstudents move on to middle school, the school system can then relocatethe buildings to the middle school in order to “follow the boom” ofstudents. In this fashion, a school system can manage periodic shifts inpopulations without resorting to expensive, permanent school buildingrenovation or expansion.

Due to the possibility that an individual or group may employ arelocatable building for an extended period of time, relocatablebuildings preferably have a long life span and are of sturdyconstruction. Furthermore, certain applications necessitate additionalperformance criteria for the buildings. Also, certain jurisdictions mayhave building codes dealing with relocatable buildings, such as theability to withstand high winds. Other considerations such as insulativeproperties, environmental impact, and weatherproofness influence theconstruction of relocatable buildings.

Traditional methods of constructing relocatable buildings includeprefabricating portions of the building, transporting the portions tothe construction site and putting the building together from the groundup. These traditional methods tend to be time consuming and requireextensive labor to be located at the building site. Additionally, inorder to relocate the building, an owner must employ a construction crewto tear-down the building and prepare it for transportation andreconstruction at the new site.

Accordingly, there is a need for a method for relocatable buildingswhich provides for a building to be constructed quickly and easily.There is also a need for a method of constructing a relocatable buildingwhich can be easily transported by a small group of workers rather thana full construction crew. Further, there is a need for a method ofconstructing a relocatable building combining the speed and simplicityof construction with quality material which will stand up to theenvironment for years to come and satisfy applicable buildingregulations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention pertains to a method for constructing,transporting, and erecting buildings. The subject invention also relatesto buildings which can be transported and erected at a desired site.Advantageously, specific embodiments of the subject invention can berelocatable. The subject method can provide for simplified constructionof relocatable buildings, such as those used as temporary classrooms oron construction sites. In a specific embodiment, the subject inventionincludes constructing a building section. Each building section caninclude a floor panel, a wall panel, end panels and roofing structures.The subject invention also provides for the joining of multiple buildingsections to form larger structures. Additionally, the subjectconstruction method provides for structures which facilitate joining andseparating the sections as needed for assembly or movement.

The subject method and apparatus can be used to shorten the time andlabor required both to initially construct a building and also torelocate the building as needed. By using the subject invention, thosewho employ relocatable buildings can move them from site to site with aless labor intensive process than before. The subject relocatablebuildings can be relocated with a lifting machine such as a crane and amode of transport such as a truck.

The subject invention is advantageous in situations where, for example,a school system needs to adapt classroom capacity to the changingpopulation of students within the system. Permanent renovations oradditions to school buildings can be expensive and time consuming toimplement, but by utilizing the subject relocatable buildings, schoolsystems can shift classroom capacity inexpensively while stillmaintaining a high quality building for the students to use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a building section in accordance with a specific embodimentof the subject invention.

FIG. 2 shows a foundation layout in accordance with a specificembodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 3 shows the installation of a floor panel in accordance with aspecific embodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 4 shows the installation and attachment of a wall panel inaccordance with a specific embodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 5 shows the installation and attachment of end wall panels inaccordance with a specific embodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 6 shows the installation and attachment of a reinforcing structurein accordance with a specific embodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates the installation of roofing support structures inaccordance with a specific embodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates the installation of insulating roofing material inaccordance with a specific embodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a building section with a roof attachedin accordance with a specific embodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a building section in accordance with the subjectinvention after installation of a second wall panel.

FIG. 11 illustrates the attachment of two building sections to form abuilding module in accordance with a specific embodiment of the subjectinvention.

FIG. 12 illustrates the installation of relocation bracing structures inaccordance with a specific embodiment of the subject invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates the lifting of one building section fortransportation in accordance with a specific embodiment of the subjectinvention.

FIG. 14 illustrates the attachment of transportation structures to therelocatable building sections and the lifting of one section fortransportation in accordance with a specific embodiment of the subjectinvention.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention pertains to a method for constructing,transporting, and erecting buildings. The subject invention also relatesto buildings which can be transported and erected at a desired site.Advantageously, a specific embodiment of the subject invention can berelocatable. The subject invention is advantageous in situations wherean individual or group, such as a school system or construction company,needs temporary, portable buildings which can easily be constructed andbroken down for transportation to a new site. In a specific embodiment,the subject method utilizes durable construction materials to complywith building codes and withstand the rigors of years of service in avariety of environmental conditions in addition to providing rapidconstruction and relocation benefits.

A preferred method of constructing a building according to the subjectinvention is now discussed. Most preferably, a building section builtaccording to the subject invention is constructed at a centralizedmanufacturing site. The individual building sections can then betransported to the installation site where minimal reassembly isrequired prior to occupancy. A centralized manufacturing site allows forlabor usage to be maximized and used more efficiently than constructingeach relocatable building at the installation site from the ground up.It is important to note that the specific embodiment described hereinrelates to a relocatable building consisting of two separable sectionswhich can be broken down and transported. It is understood that abuilding in accordance with the subject invention can be made from anynumber, or combination, of sections without deviating from the spirit ofthe invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a building section 1 in accordance with an embodimentof the subject invention. In order to begin construction, the desiredbuilding section 1 size and capacity should be determined. Referring toFIG. 2, a preferred first step in construction of a building section 1is forming a foundation layout 2 of appropriate size. Preferably, thefoundation layout is made from concrete high-strength shim blocks 3, butany suitable material such as masonry blocks, wooden blocks or cinderblocks can be used without affecting the functionality of the invention.Alternatively, a foundation layout 2 suitable for construction can beany relatively hard and flat surface, such as packed soil, which issuitable for supporting the weight of the building section. Concreteblock-out can be incorporated into the foundation layout 2 fortransportation of structure.

Following the construction of the foundation layout 2, a floor panel 5can be installed onto the foundation layout 2 as illustrated in FIG. 3.If desired, the floor panel 5 can be temporarily secured to thefoundation layout 2 for added stability during the construction process.The floor panel 5 can be constructed of any durable material such aspoured concrete, plywood, or plastic. Preferably, the floor panel isconstructed of 7¼″ reinforced concrete panels which also havepolystyrene insulation embedded during construction. Additionally,relocation notches 6, lifting insert 5 a, attachment 12, and plumbingopening 5 b can be incorporated into the floor panel 5 duringmanufacture.

As shown in FIG. 4, a wall panel 9 can be installed following theinstallation of the floor panel 5. The wall panel 9 can include openings10 and roof supporting structure mounts/lifting embedments 11. Openings10 can be installed for doors, windows, louvers or any other buildingaccess commonly needed in buildings of the type being constructed. Theroof supporting structures can be used to provide anchoring points forroof supports such as beams, straps or rods. The wall panel 9 ispreferably constructed of a strong, durable building material such aspoured concrete, wood or plastic. Most preferably, the wall panel 9 isconstructed from a reinforced concrete-polystyrene composite, such asINSULWALL™ to provide a greater degree of high wind load resistingweatherproof performance and energy efficiency. The wall panel 9 can beattached to the floor panel 5 through any attachment structure 12commonly used to join similar building materials such as straps, bolts,or welding. However, the most preferred embodiment uses several weldedbrackets to attach the wall panel 9 to the floor panel 5. Importantly,relocation bracing points 13 can be embedded in the wall panel 9 tosupply anchoring points for aiding in lifting and transporting thebuilding section 1. Installation bracing 9 a can be installed to supportwall panel during installation.

Following installation of the wall panel 9, as shown in FIG. 5, a pairof end panels 15 can be installed and attached to the floor panel 5 andthe wall panel 9. End panels 15 can be attached to the floor panel 5 andwall panel 9 in a similar fashion to the attachment previously describedin attaching the wall panel 9 to the floor panel 5. End panels 15 caninclude openings 17 to allow access to the building section 1. Suchopenings 17 can facilitate, for example, duct installation, venting orelectrical access to the building section 1. The end panels 15 can alsoinclude relocation bracing points 13 embedded in the end panels 15. Therelocation bracing points 13 can provide additional anchoring points forlifting and transporting the building 1. If preferred, end panels 15 canbe installed prior to wall panel 9, as would be apparent to one skilledin the art.

FIG. 6 shows the attachment of a reinforcing structure 19 which can beused to support the roof 25 of the building section 1. The reinforcingstructure 19 can take the shape of any suitable structure, such as a barjoist, a truss, steel beam, concrete beam, or wood beam. The reinforcingstructure 19 can be made from any suitable material such as steel, woodor plastic and attached to the end panels 15 through suitable attachmentmethods as previously described. Preferably, the reinforcing structure19 is made from steel and welded to the end panels 15. Any number ofreinforcing structures 19 can be used in construction of the buildingsection 1 without affecting functionality, but preferably there is afloor panel to reinforcing structure ratio of 1:1.

FIG. 7 illustrates a building section 1 with sub-purlin roof supports 21and X-bracing roof supports 22 installed according to a specificembodiment of the subject invention. Such a combination of sub-purlin 21and X-bracing 22 roof supports can be used to enhance the structuralstability of the roof. Roof supports 21 and 22 can be constructed fromany suitable material such as steel, plastic or wood. Preferably,sub-purlin roof supports 21 and X-bracing roof supports 22 are made fromsteel and are secured between either the reinforcing structure 19 and awall panel 9 or between the reinforcing structure 19 and an end panel15. When attachments are made to the wall panel 9, the roof supports 21and 22 can be secured to the roof supporting structure mounts 11embedded in the wall panel 9.

To increase energy efficiency, an insulation cover 23 can be optionallyinstalled over the roof supports 21. FIG. 8 shows a preferred example ofa suitable insulation cover 23. The insulation cover 23 can beconstructed of any material suitable for building insulation such aspolystyrene, vinyl vapor retarder film or vinyl vapor laminate.

Once an appropriate insulation cover 23, is installed, the roof 25 canbe attached over the building section 1 as shown in FIG. 9. If noinsulation cover 23 is utilized, the roof 25 can be installed directlyto supports 21 and 22. The roof 25 can be made from any suitableweatherproof roofing material such as reinforced concrete, compositedeck, aluminum, steel, or traditional shingles.

Thus, a method for constructing a building section 1 according to thesubject invention has been described. Additionally, the building section1 of the subject invention can be prepared for transportation andinstallation at a new site in a short period of time and without anexcess of labor intensive activity.

To prepare a building section 1 for occupancy, the present inventionprovides a wide degree of flexibility of configurations. The uncoveredside of the building section 1 can be used to communicate with, forexample, another wall panel 9 or another building section 1. In oneembodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, a second wall panel 9 can be attachedto the floor panel 5, end panels 15 and reinforcing structure 19. Thesecond wall panel 9 can be attached to the floor panel 5, end panels 15and reinforcing structure 19 in a similar manner as was previouslydescribed. In this fashion, a fully enclosed building can be fabricatedfrom a building section 1 through one attachment step. It is understoodthat the shape and size of the wall panels 9 does not affect thefunctionality of the subject invention. For example, both wall panels 9may be of equal size, or, of differing size as illustrated in FIG. 10.

In another specific embodiment, two or more building sections 1 may becombined in order to construct a building module 33 of increased size.For example, as illustrated in FIG. 11, two building sections 1, A and Bcan be attached to form a building module 33 twice the size of a singlebuilding section 1. In order to form a larger building, a correspondingfoundation layout 2 is preferably formed in advance. Onto thisfoundation layout 2 the two building sections A and B can be lowered bya lifting machine, such as a crane. Each individual building section Aand B can then be attached to the foundation layout 2 as described inthe construction of a building section 1. Each building section A and Bcan then be attached to each other, floor panel S to floor panel 5, endpanels 15 to end panels 15. The panel attachment is preferably donethrough welding, although other means of joining the building sections Aand B will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Preferably, afterall panels have been attached, a ridge cover plate 27 can be attachedacross the roof seam, providing a weatherproof barrier. Thus, a largerbuilding module 33 can be constructed from the joining of multiplebuilding sections 1. Alternatively, the construction of a buildingmodule 33 can begin with both building sections A and B beingconstructed simultaneously, in accordance with the methods provided inthe subject invention, on a foundation layout 2 of appropriate size.

In order to prepare a building section 1, as shown in FIG. 1, fortransportation to a new site, a method of preparing a building section 1for transportation is also discussed. As shown in FIG. 12, a first stepin preparing a building section 1 for transportation is to attachrelocation bracing structures 29 to the building section 1 by using theembedded relocation bracing points 13 located in the wall panel 9, floorpanel 5 and the end panels 15. The relocation bracing structures 29 canbe made of any material suitable to support a building section 1, suchas steel or wood. The relocation bracing structures 29 can be attachedto the wall panel 9, floor panel 5 and/or end panels 15 through anyappropriate attachment means, such as a welding, straps, or bolts. Thefloor panel 5 is preferably detached from the foundation layout 2 priorto transportation. Thus, as shown in a view of a building section 1 inFIG. 12, a building section 1 has been prepared for transportation bythe installation of relocation bracing structures 29.

As shown in FIG. 13, to physically move the building section 1 toanother site, transportation structures 31 can be used to lift thebuilding section 1 from the foundation layout 2. The transportationstructures 31 can attach to and/or around the floor panel 5 of thebuilding section 1 by means of the relocation notches 6. Thetransportation structures 31 can be constructed of any material commonlyused to lift heavy equipment, such as steel and can include straps,belts or beams. Thus, a crane or any other suitable machine for lifting,can be employed to lift the building section 1 from the foundationlayout 2 and onto, for example, an awaiting flat bed truck or train car.The truck or train can then transport the building section 1 to therelocation site for reassembly.

When a building module 33 has been constructed, a similar process oftransportation preparation can be used. When preparing a building module33 for transportation, the ridge cover plate 27, if installed, ispreferably removed first to ease the separation of the differentbuilding sections 1. FIG. 14 shows a building module 33 having buildingsection B being lifted away for relocation while section A is preparedfor lifting. In this specific embodiment, once building sections A and Bare lifted away, the foundation layout 2 will remain in place. At thispoint, the foundation layout 2 can be used to construct another buildingmodule 33 or can be removed and shipped to the relocation site forinstallation.

Once the separate building sections A and B arrive at the relocationsite, the sections can then be reassembled to prepare the buildingmodule 33 for occupancy. The foundation layout 2, generally, althoughnot necessarily, a different foundation layout 2 than the one located atthe construction site can be formed. Next, the separate sections A and Bcan be lowered into place and relocation braces 29 removed. Once thetransportation structures 31 and the relocation braces 29 are removed,the ridge cover plate 27 can be reinstalled and the building module 33is ready to be attached to the foundation layout 2 and for finishingpreparations such as carpeting, air conditioning and electricity to beinstalled prior to occupancy. A similar method can be utilized ininstalling a single building section 1. The foundation layout 2corresponding to the building section 1 can be formed and the singlebuilding section 1 can be lowered onto the foundation layout 2. Thebuilding section 1 can then be attached to the foundation layout 2 andthe final wall panel 9 can be secured in place, if not already attachedprior to transportation. The finished building can then be prepared foroccupancy as described above.

All patents, patent applications, provisional applications, andpublications referred to or cited herein are incorporated by referencein their entirety, including all figures and tables, to the extent theyare not inconsistent with the explicit teachings of this specification.

It should be understood that the example and embodiments describedherein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modificationsor changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in theart and are to be included within the spirit and purview of thisapplication and the scope of the appended claims.

1. A relocatable building section, comprising: a floor panel; a wallpanel attached to a first side of the floor panel; a first end panelattached to a first end of the floor panel and attached to the wallpanel; a second end panel attached to a second end of said floor paneland attached to the wall panel.
 2. The relocatable building sectionaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a reinforcing structureattached to the first and second end panels, wherein a first end of thereinforcing structure is attached to the first end panel and a secondend of the reinforcing structure is attached to the second end panel. 3.The relocatable building section according to claim 2, furthercomprising: a roof support structure between the reinforcing structureand the wall panel.
 4. The relocatable building section according toclaim 2, further comprising: additional roof support structures betweenthe first end panel and the second end panel.
 5. The relocatablebuilding section according to claim 3, further comprising: a roofstructure attached to the first end panel, the second end panel, and thewall panel.
 6. The relocatable building section according to claim 2,further comprising: wherein the building section has an open facedefined by the reinforcing structure, the first end panel, the secondend panel, and the floor panel.
 7. The relocatable building sectionaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a second wall panel attachedto a second side of said floor panel, the first end panel, and thesecond end panel.
 8. The relocatable building section according to claim1, wherein the floor panel comprises reinforced concrete.
 9. Therelocatable building section according to claim 1, wherein at least oneof the wall panel, the first end panel, and the second end panelcomprise reinforced concrete.
 10. The relocatable building sectionaccording to claim 9, wherein at least one of the wall panel, the firstend panel, and the second end panel comprise a polystyrene composite.11. The relocatable building section according to claim 1, wherein thefloor panel comprises relocation notches, wherein the relocation notchesallow for attachment of transportation structures, wherein lifting thetransportation structures lifts the relocatable building section. 12.The relocatable building section according to claim 1, wherein the wallpanel comprises at least one bracing structure corresponding at leastone installation brace during installation, wherein the at least onebracing structure is attached to at least two of the floor panel, thewall panel, the first end panel, and the second end panel.
 13. Therelocatable building section according to claim 3, wherein the roofsupport structure comprise X-bracing roof supports.
 14. The relocatablebuilding section according to claim 1, further comprising a plumbingopening in the floor panel.
 15. The relocatable building sectionaccording to claim 1, further comprising of one or more building accessopenings on the wall panel and the first and second end panels.
 16. Aninterconnectable building section, comprising: a floor panel having afirst end and a second end; a wall panel, wherein the wall panelconnects to the floor panel lengthwise from the first end of the floorpanel to the second end of the floor panel; a first end panel, whereinthe first end panel connects to the first end of the floor panel; asecond end panel, wherein the second end panel connects to the secondend of the floor panel, wherein the first end panel connects to an endof the wall panel and the second end panel connects to an opposite endof the wall panel.
 17. An interconnectable building section according toclaim 16, further comprising: a reinforcing structure, wherein a firstend of the reinforcing structure connects to the first end panel and asecond end of the reinforcing structure connects to the second endpanel.
 18. An interconnectable building section according to claim 17,further comprising: a plurality of roof support structures, wherein atleast a portion of the plurality of roof support structures connect tothe reinforcing structure and to the wall panel.
 19. An interconnectablebuilding section according to claim 13, further comprising: a roofstructure, wherein the roof structure attaches to the first end panel,the second end panel, and the wall panel.
 20. An interconnectablebuilding section according to claim 17, wherein an open face is definedby a side of the floor panel opposing the wall panel, a side of thefirst end panel, a side of the second end panel, and the reinforcingstructure.